Quote from: hop on 09/02/2016 02:36 amQuote from: Lar on 09/02/2016 02:30 amIf hypergolics are unlikely even for payloads, that cuts down the possible lifts such a rocket could do.Almost any launcher will carry some on payloads, but that's a very different story from a several hundred ton first stage. Hard to see a hypergolic first stage LV getting approval, and if it did, operations would likely be extremely expensive under US or Canadian regulations.well as governments clamp down on highly toxic hypergolics the transition to low or zero toxicity hypergolics (Green propellant) becomes important. Green propellants developed so far result less propellant mass with a higher ISP and a cheaper, shorter mission processing/launch campaign.
Quote from: Lar on 09/02/2016 02:30 amIf hypergolics are unlikely even for payloads, that cuts down the possible lifts such a rocket could do.Almost any launcher will carry some on payloads, but that's a very different story from a several hundred ton first stage. Hard to see a hypergolic first stage LV getting approval, and if it did, operations would likely be extremely expensive under US or Canadian regulations.
If hypergolics are unlikely even for payloads, that cuts down the possible lifts such a rocket could do.
There are no green storable propellant engines suitable for rocket stages.
Mexico is in North America too, any possibility they could try launching from there? Baja might be suitable for polar launches, maybe GTO launches from Yucatan?
On site assessments have already been conducted in Canada and the United States for possible launch complex locations....Operating from North America will provide operational convenience with negligible export control issues for customers....Locations in Canada are being considered which would leverage and build upon the close ties between Canada and Ukraine
Here's a week old update from Yuzhnoye itself: http://www.yuzhnoye.com/en/press-center/pressrelises/pressrelis-copy_39.htmlLooks like they're considering launching from North America, partnering up with whoever is willing to take on the construction costs for the launch site.
slightly off topic, but this is aerospace.http://www.antonov.com/news/478China and Ukraine are going to build the largest plane in the worldDo a google search for articles on this.....but it begs the question any China interests in Cyclone launches?
Does Canada's northern latitude and climate afford reasonable launch capability? At least Brazil was equatorial. And does Canada have the requisite domestic satellite market to usefully benefit and sustain the company? Or will they overwhelmingly rely on foreign launch customers?
English version has appeared on their web site. Quote from: ChamberPressure on 09/08/2016 04:04 amHere's a week old update from Yuzhnoye itself: http://www.yuzhnoye.com/en/press-center/pressrelises/pressrelis-copy_39.htmlLooks like they're considering launching from North America, partnering up with whoever is willing to take on the construction costs for the launch site.
Using NTO-UDMH would be using 70s technology. Using LOX-RG1 would be modern technology.
Quote from: Rik ISS-fan on 02/11/2017 05:57 pmUsing NTO-UDMH would be using 70s technology. Using LOX-RG1 would be modern technology. IMHO, 70s vs modern isn't really the issue, after all the first orbital rockets was LOX/RG1. The real issue is that getting environmental approval for an all hypergolic LV would (rightly) be extremely difficult if not impossible in a country like Canada.
However, the non-hypergolic "Cyclone" doesn't actually exist, so there would be very significant development costs.
Maritime Launch Services (MLS) will announce today that it has selected a site in the Guysborough Municipality near Canso and Hazel Hill, Nova Scotia over 13 other prospective locations for its new commercial launch complex, or spaceport, and expects to break ground on construction within a year....MLS is after the medium class launch market. They are offering two launch options to begin with. Option 1 is a Sun-synchronous orbit launch between 600-800 km, a much desired service at this time for smaller satellites, with a payload up to 3350 kg for US$45 million. Option 2 is a Low Earth Orbit launch, below 600 km in altitude, that will allow a payload up to 5000 kg also for US$45 million....Yuzhnoye Design Office along with Yuzhmash of the Ukraine will be supplying MLS with a new variant of the Cyclone rocket, the 4M, and CEO John Isella had previously told SpaceQ of the new design, “the Cyclone 4 upper stage and fairing remain unchanged and the first stage is now derived from the Zenit family of vehicles using an existing Lox-RP engine that is produced in Ukraine. So a 2 stage vehicle, Lox-RP first stage.”...Isella said MLS hopes that it can get through the “regulatory processes, approvals and site planning” so that after ground breaking next year the first launch from the new Spaceport could happen within two years in 2020. MLS is hoping to launch eight rockets a year by 2022.
I didn't see a thread about this, but I thought it might be of interest... http://www.spaceq.ca/maritime-launch-services-selects-nova-scotia-site-for-spaceport-over-13-other-locations/Some choice quotes:QuoteMaritime Launch Services (MLS) will announce today that it has selected a site in the Guysborough Municipality near Canso and Hazel Hill, Nova Scotia over 13 other prospective locations for its new commercial launch complex, or spaceport, and expects to break ground on construction within a year....MLS is after the medium class launch market. They are offering two launch options to begin with. Option 1 is a Sun-synchronous orbit launch between 600-800 km, a much desired service at this time for smaller satellites, with a payload up to 3350 kg for US$45 million. Option 2 is a Low Earth Orbit launch, below 600 km in altitude, that will allow a payload up to 5000 kg also for US$45 million....Yuzhnoye Design Office along with Yuzhmash of the Ukraine will be supplying MLS with a new variant of the Cyclone rocket, the 4M, and CEO John Isella had previously told SpaceQ of the new design, “the Cyclone 4 upper stage and fairing remain unchanged and the first stage is now derived from the Zenit family of vehicles using an existing Lox-RP engine that is produced in Ukraine. So a 2 stage vehicle, Lox-RP first stage.”...Isella said MLS hopes that it can get through the “regulatory processes, approvals and site planning” so that after ground breaking next year the first launch from the new Spaceport could happen within two years in 2020. MLS is hoping to launch eight rockets a year by 2022.So how serious is this? It seems like an outlandish idea to launch a Ukranian rocket (Cyclone/Tsyklon 4M) in Canada.